Rita Levi MontalciniRita Levi Montalcini A medical scientist

born and raised in Turinborn and raised in Turin Her and her twin sister, Paola, were the youngest out of four children. Her and her twin sister, Paola, were the youngest out of four children. Her father, Adamo Levi, was an electrical engineer and a gifted mathematician. Her father, Adamo Levi, was an electrical engineer and a gifted mathematician. Her mother, Adele Montalcini, was a talented painter.Her mother, Adele Montalcini, was a talented painter. Her brother, Gino, was one of the most well known Italian architects and Her brother, Gino, was one of the most well known Italian architects and

professor.professor. Her older sister, Anna, inspired Rita to become a writer.Her older sister, Anna, inspired Rita to become a writer.

General Life Facts

Gino Levi Montalcini

Paola Levi Montalcini

Gino was the first to die out of the family children.

Rita’s father decided his three girls would not engage in a professional career because it might interfere with the duties of a mother and wife.

Paola became one of the most best women painters in Italy.

Rita realized she could not do what her father asked so she asked his permission to be in a professional career.

In eight months she filled her gaps in Latin, Greek and mathematics, graduated from high school, and entered medical school in Turin.

Rita and two of her university colleagues went to Giuseppe Levi for biological science.

Finding Out What She Did Best

In 1936, she finally graduated from medical school with a summa cum laude degree in Medicine and Surgery.

She entered into a three year specialization in neurology and psychiatry.

She was not sure whether she should continue with the medical profession or pursue at the same time basic research in neurology.

The Beginning of Her Career

The Anglo-American air forces told Rita to move to a country cottage in 1941.

She then built a new mini laboratory.

the German army forced her to move out of her new home because of the invasion of Italy and go to Florence. That’s where She lived underground where she was safer until the end of the war.

During the Invasion

Later, she was then assigned as a medical doctor at headquarters for the ones in need during the war.

Diseases and infections caused some death.

She was in charge as nurse and medical doctor

As a Medical Doctor

Then the war finally ended and she returned to her family where she resumed her academic positions at the University.

She retired from Washington University and lived in Rome with her twin sister Paola Levi-Montalcini, a well-known painter.

She published her autobiography, In Praise of Imperfection in 1988, one year before she died.

To the End